Biogenic amines such as histamine, spermidine, putrescine, and trimethylamine are key compounds in living systems. They are low molecular weight organic bases in cells and are involved in many vital biological functions such as protein synthesis, regulation of cell proliferation, modulation of ion channels and change of gene expression. They are also important parameters to be monitored in clinical diagnostics and the food industry.
The detection of the neutral biogenic amines is of particular interest due to their importance in areas ranging from clinical diagnostics (as biomarkers of specific diseases) to quality control of food products. Biogenic amines are famous for their putrid and stinking smell. Some of them, such as histamine, spermidine and putrescine, are also key compounds in living systems and are involved in many vital biological functions, such as protein synthesis, regulation of cell proliferation and modulation of gene expression. They have also been the focus of medical and pharmaceutical research on the mechanisms of some of the biological disorders. For instance, high plasma levels of putrescine and spermidine have been associated with breast, colon and skin cancers. In food safety, wide ranges of biogenic amines are found as biomarkers for spoilage of fishes. Histamine, which has been identified as a neurotransmitter for anthropod photoreceptors, is the causative agent of scombroid food poisoning. Methods of detecting biogenic amines recently described in the literature have taken advantage of analytical instruments, molecular imprinting polymers and immunoassays.
Chemodosimeters are molecular devices that interact with their analytes and yield physically measurable signals in a ratiometric and irreversible fashion. In contrast to ordinary chemosensors which respond to the real-time concentration of their analytes, chemodosimeters respond to their analytes in a cumulative manner. These properties allow chemodosimeters to be especially suitable for food monitoring. Since the signals don't disappear (irreversible fashion), users/customers can recognize there is spoilage of food if contamination occurred at any time during the process (i.e., during food production, transportation or other processes).